Automatic musical instrument



Dec. 29, 1931. E. w. SCHERR, JR'

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INS TRUMENT Filed April 25, 1929 252 QJEEEE c N MN RR \Q R INVENTGR w I I Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMILIUS w. SCHERR, .13., or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIG oR To THE .AEOLIAN COMPANY, A CORPORATION or CONNECTICUT AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed Apr-i123,

My present invention relates to improve ments in automatic musical instruments playable with music-rolls and relates more particularly to improved means whereby the music-roll automatically sets the instrument to play with the tempo or speed of travel proper to the instrument.

My said improvements in their preferred form include: I

(a) Tempo-scttingmeans controlledby spe cial perforations in the tab of the music-sheet which automatically adjusts the speed of the n'iusic-roll motor to drive the music-sheet particular roll inserted in the at the tempo proper to the particular roll.

((2) Means which automatically locks said tempo-setting means afterit has been set.

. after the tempo has been set being operated by a special perforation in the music-sheet tab to reconnect said tracker ducts to their notesounding actions; and said switching-means being automatically locked in that condition.

(6) Means actuated at the end ofthe rewind which unlocks said switching-means and. reverses it so that said particular tracker ducts are again o'peratively connected to the tempo-setting means.

(f) Since the said tempo perforations which I provide in the tab of these rolls would sound notes in passing over the tracker in the ordinary standard automatic piano or organ not equipped with myswitching-device, and since my tempo-setting rolls are likely to be played upon said standard I instruments, I provide means hereinafter described for preventing said tempo perforations from sounding therewith.

The annexed drawings illustrate my said improvements, Fig. 1 being a schematic view showing a preferred embodiment of my inview, partly in plan, through the upper part 1929. Serial No. 357,409.

vention for use with either a player piano or organ, the music-sheet being supposed to be at rest with no suction on the apparatus; and Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional of the tempo gate-box of Fig. 1, the valve be- 55 ing shown in its furtherest closed position, namely, the position occupied by it when all of the compartments of the accordion bellows are collapsed; andFig. 3 is a fragmentary View of a preferred modification of the music- 60 sheet part of the invention; i I will now proceed to describe my invention in connection with the drawings. The front endor tab of the music-sheet 1 of a music-roll (not shown) passes over the tracker bar 2 and is hooked to the take-up spool 3. The perforations 4 in said tab are the tempo-setting perforations and they cor- I respond respectively to the compartments 5 of the accordion bellows 6, whose collapse and expansion they serve to control. The accordion bellows is secured at oneend'by a bracket 7 to a fixed support (not shown) and is expanded by a tension spring'8 connecting a fixture 9 with the link 10 attached to the other end of the bellows. This link 10 con nects with the crank arm 11 of a suitably supported rock shaft 12 whose other crank arm 13 connects by a link 14 withthe stem 15 of the tempo valve 16 working over the port 17 (Fig. 2) in the tempo gate-box 18, which latter is of the usual construction of tempo gate-box used in player pianos and organs to H adjustably control and vary the amount of 5 suction on the ordinary wind motor (not shown) used in these instruments to drive the music-sheet. Leather nuts 19 on the screwthreads of the aforesaid valve stem 15 serve to adjustably connect'the aforesaid link 14 51', with said stem whereby the tempo valve 16 (Fig. 2) can be adjusted lengthwise relatively to its port 17 (Fig. 2) so as always to leave exposed enough of said port for the suction to operate the wind motor at a slow tempo (for example, a tempo of or a speed of about three feet a minute) even when all the compartments of the accordion bellows are collapsed which will be the case, as will hereinafter appear, when there are no tempo- 100 setting perforations 4 operating. Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically said described relationship between the tempo valve and its port.

20 is the usual regulating bellows with its spring 21 of the conventional tempo gateboX for supplying regulated suction to the music roll wind motor via the aforesaid port 17 as controlled by the tempo valve 16.

It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the compartments or chambers of the accordion bellows 6 are respectively connected by tubes 32 to ducts 22 respectively controlled by outside valves 23 of the valve box 25, so that when said valves are down, the corresponding accordion bellows compartments are collapsed by being connected with the suction in the chamber 24L of the valve box; and vice versa, are expanded when said valves are up due to said compartments being then cut oil from the suction and connected with the atmosphere, whereupon the spring 8 expands said compartments. The aforesaid valves 23 rest on the pouches of pouch chambers connected by tubes 28 to the switchingdevice 29 (later to be described), and thence by tubes 30 respectively to the tracker ducts 31 with which the tempo-setting perforations tregister when they pass over the tracker bar. Each duct 22 in the valve box is connected to the corresponding pouch chamber 27 by a duct 32in which there is a bleed 33 whereby when atmosphere is admitted to any pouch chamber, its valve 23 is not only raised but is automatically locked in its up position.

34 is a chamber in the valve box 25 which is normally on suction. 35 is an outside valve operated by the pouch of pouch chamber 36. )Vhen said valve is down, as in Fig. 1, it conmeets the suction chamber 34 with the heretofore referred to chamber 2% of the valve box. WVhen said valve is up, it cuts off the suction from said chamber 34 and admits atmosphere thereto. The said pouch chamber 36 is connected by a tube 37 to the hollow trunnion 38 of the take-up spool connected by the duct 39 in the body of said spool to a port 40 at the surface of the barrel of the spool adapted to be covered by the front end of the music-sheet as it winds up on the spool, and vice versa, to be uncovered at the end. of the rewind. 41 is a bleed between the suction chamber 34L and the pouch chamber 36.

The switching-device 29 consists of two independent chambers 42 and 43 separated by the partition 44. Sunk into the opposite faces of said partition are five pairs of opposite annular recesses like the pair l5- l8 shown in vertical cross section in Fig. 1. :27 is a duct in said partition opening into both annular recesses 45 and 46. 48 and 9 are independent ducts in the partition which open through opposite faces thereof located centrally relatively to the annular recesses. Each recessed portion of the partition has a disk-shaped pouch 50 extending completely across it, glued only at its periphery to the face of the partition. 1V hon atniosphere is on the upper chamber 42, and suction on the lower chamber t3, the pouches 50 seal the mouths of the ducts e8 but leave free com munication open between the tracker bar ducts and the ducts 4L9; vice versa, when the .JiJIDOSPllBlO and suction are reversed on said chambers 42 and 43, the ducts ii) are then sealed by the pouches 50 and are cut oil from the tracker bar ducts, whereas the ducts 4-3 are in free communication therewith. The ducts 48 are respectively operatively connected to the note-sounding actions, sometimes called automatic player actions, 3 (not shown), each of said actions in. an automatic piano compirsing a pneiunatic valve and striker pneumatic ano a piano hammc tion; and in an automatic or "an compo 5 a pneumatic valve, and electrical cont: Us in circuit with an electro-magnet to ope valve or valves to cause a pipe or speak.

The control of the suction and atmosphere 1 3 in chambers 42 and a) is by means of two simultaneously operated valves, one an inside valve 51 and the other an outside valve respectively controlling ducts 53 and 5% connected, as shown, by tubing to the chambers 42 and i3 respectively of the svi'itchinggalovice. The simultaneous operation of said valves is brought about by their pouch-chambers 55 and 56 being intercmmcctel as shown.

Furthermore, both of said pouch chau'ibcrs and atmosphere is admitted under the.

pouches 55 and 56, the valves 51 and are both lifted with the result that the atmoss pere and suction in the chambers 1-2 and the switcl1ingde'vice are reversed. if ur more, said valves 51 and z autoinzu ira l locked in said up position if suction is on i valve chamber 24 due to the duct )1 \.lll'l'll connects the duct 5% controlled by the val 52 with the pouch chamber 56 via t bleed 62.

The mode of operation is as follows: rissuming that suction is on chamber it, that the sheet has been connected to the take-up s; )(?-()l 3 and that the wind motor has been started and clutched to the take-up spool to drive the sheet in playing direction over the tracker bar, the following will be the status:-Before the take-up spool port 40 is closed by the sheet as it winds on said spool. it admits atmosphere to the pouch chamber 36 of the valve and raises said valve whirl in turn admits atmosphere to the main cham ber 24 of the valve box and unlocks any and all valves not theretofore unlocked and makes it certain that all of the valves 51, 52 and 23 will be in their down position as shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the music-sheet covers the port 40, said valve 35, of course, drops and connects the main chamber 24 of the valve box with the suction in chamber 34. This suction will thereupon collapse all of the chambers of the accordion bellows acting thereon past the valves 23 via the ducts 22 and tubes 32. This will pull the tempo valve into its furthest position to the right as shown in Fig. 2 wherein it permits the wind motor to drive the music-sheet at a slow tempo, say about a tempo of 30.

During this time, atmosphere will be on the upper chamber 42 of the switching-device due to the valve 51 being down; and suction will be on the chamber 43 due to the valve 52 being down- The result is that there will be free communication between the ducts 47 and 49 of the switching-device and, there'- fore, between all the tracker ducts 31 and 59 and the pouch chambers under their respective valves 51, 52 and 23. The result is that as soon as one or more tempo-setting perforations 4 reach the tracker ducts 31, the corresponding valve or valves 23 are lifted and atmosphere is admitted to the corresponding accordion bellows chambers 5, whereupon the spring 8 acts to expand the accordion bellows to that extent and to adjust the tempo valve and motor speed to drive the music-sheet at a tempo corresponding to said tempo-setting perforations. By way of further explanation of this it will be seen from Fig. 1 that the ex tent of collapse. and vice versa of expansion, of each accordion bellows compartment is about twice that of the adjacent compartment at the left. Further, it will be realized as is well known, that four perforations corresponding to said four compartments ofthe accordion bellows used singly and in permutations, will make possible fifteen or sixteen different adjustments of the accordion bellows and, therefore, in this case of the tempo valve. This makes possible fifteen or sixteen different temposwhich is more than sufficient to cover all the tempo requirements.

In the drawings Ishow all four tempo-setting perforations 4 in the particular musicsheet used to illustrate the'invention which by expanding all compartments of the accordion bellows would open the tempo valve to the maximum extent and drive the musiosheet at maximum tempo.

Continuing now the description of the op eration :The tempo-setting perforations not only raise the corresponding valves 23 but said valves automatically lock themselves in their up position due to the atmosphere ad mitted to the duct 22 passing via ducts 32 and bleed 33 into the pouch chamber of each raised valve 23. This keeps the poucheor pouches up and also the valves 23 up in spite of the fact that the tempo-setting perforations 4 have passed beyond the tracker bar. Furthermore, this locked condition of the valve 23 and, therefore, of the accordion bellows and of the tempo valve continues throughoutthe playingof the roll and until the take-up spool port 40 is exposed at the end of the rewind, whereupon atmosphere is admitted to the pouch chamber 36 lifting the valve 35 and admitting atmosphere to the main valve chamber '24. The moment this happens, any and all of the up valves 23 will be unlocked and will gravitate into their down positions because there will be equal atmospheric pressure on both sides of the pouches of these valves. This unlocking of the valves 23 will, of course, also unlock and release the accordion bellows and tempo valve preparatory to a new automatic setting thereof, as heretofore described, from the tempo setting perforations 4 of the music-roll.

I will now go back and describe what happens when the perforation 60 in the tab registers with its tracker duct 59 after the temposetting perforations 4 have registered with their ducts. The effect of this is to admit atmosphere via the tube 58 and ducts 44 and 49 of the switching-device, and thence via the tube 57 to the pouch chambers and 56,.

whereupon both of the valves 51 and 52 are raised and automatically locked in their up position due to atmosphere being admitted by the valve 52 via ducts 54 and 61 and bleed 62 into said pouch chambers 55 and 56, which uphold said valves in spite of the passing of the perforation 6O beyond its tracker duct. In

short, the effect of the perforation is to lock the valves 51 and 52 in their up position which immediately reverses the condition of the chambers 42 and 43 of the switching-device, putting atmosphere on chamber 43 which causes the lower pouches 50 to seal the mouths of all of the ducts 49 and to cut offall of the tracker ducts 31 and 59 from the tempo-setting mechanism. On the other hand, suction will be on the chamber 42 due to the lifted valve 51and there will be now and hereafter free communication between all of the tracker ducts 31 and 59 with the related note-sounding actions 63 via the tubes 30 and 48 and the ducts 47 and 48 of the switching-device so that any and all note-sounding perforations 64 in the music-sheet registering with said tracker ducts will operate the related note-sounding actions and. cause their notes or tones to sound in the ordinary or usual manner. Because the valves 51 and 52 are locked in their said up position, the described condition of the switching-device also persists throughout the playing of the roll anduntil the takeup spool port 40 is opened at the end of the rewind, whereupon the resultant lifting of the valve 35, as previously described, throws atmosphere on the main valve-box chamber l.".

24, thereby unlocking the valves 51 and 52 controlling the switching-device 29 so that they gravitate into their down position and so that when another roll is played the tracker ducts 31 and 59 will be disconnected from the note-sounding actions ant will be connected for co-operation with the temposetting perforations and the switching-devire controlling perforation 60.

Rewinding the music-sheet has been referred to but no means is shown for this purpose because this will consist of the usual rewind mechanism controlled by a rewind perforation acting at the end of the music-roll.

Referring back to item (f) at the beginningof this specification, if the music-sl'leet of Fig. 1 were to be played in the usual tracker bar musical instrument not equipped with my foregoing impi wements, the perforations i and 60 in the tab would operate the notesounding actions in passing over the tracker bar and produce discordant sounds. To prevent this I prefer to make the music-sheet as in Fig. 3 instead of as in. Fig. 1; in other words, I add so many dummy perforations 6.) adjacent the perforations 4i and 60 that at pianissimo or low wind tension, said low tension will be distributed to so many notesounding actions that none of them will sound. On the other hand, said multiplication of perforations will not prevent the perforations at and 60 from acting in my improved instrument because my tracker ducts 31 and 59 have high unregulated suction on them as has also the valve box 25 and the accordion bellows. The rest of the musicsheet in Fig. 3 shows the reguiar reproducing-piano music-sheet having marginal perforations do to automatically vary the wind tension to control the dynamics expression with which the notes corresponding to the playing perforations (34: are sounded. The rule is that when there are no dynamics perforations, (and this is, of course, true of the tab of music-sheets for reproducing pianos), the then occurringnotes sound with pianissimo-dynamics due to the fact that there is then minimum wind tension on the automatic player acion.

By tab is meant the front end of the music-sheet ahead of the music perforations that represent the musical composition. The expression tempo-setting perforations is, of course, intended to refer to any number of perforations, whether one or many.

It is possible that changes may be made in the foregoing preferred embodiment of my invention which will still be within the scope and spirit of this disclosure and within the scope and spirit of the annexed claims and which as such are intended to be covered thereby.

lVhat I claim is i. In combination with an automatic musical instrument a music-roll having temposetting perforations ahead of the notesounding perforations of its music-sheet; tempo mechanism for adiListing;- the speed of travel of said sheet; means controlied by said tempo perforations to set said tempo mech anism in accordance therewith, the same remaining set until released; and means which releases said tempo mechanism.

2. In con'ibinati on with an automatic musical instrument, a setting perforations ahead of the note-sounding perforations of its music-sheet; tempo mechanism for adjusting the speed of travel of said sheet; means controlled by said tempo perforations to set said tempo mechanism in accordance therewith, the same remaining set until released; and means set into operation at the end of the rewind of said musicsheet which releases said tempo mechanism.

3. In combination with an automatic mu sical instrument, a music-roll. having tempo- Eetting perforations ahead of the note-sounding perforations of its music-sheet; tempo mechanism for adjusting the speed of travel of said sheet; means controlled by said tempo POIfOl'tfiOilS to set said tempo mechanism in accordance therewith, the same remaining set until released; means which releases f 1 means and said tempo mechanism after music-sheet 111$ been played; a tracker bar and .mton'iatic player ac ions operatively connected with the traci bar ducts the severa tracker ducts correspondino to he tem osetting perforations beings; diver ible so as to connect either with their aforesaid automatic player actions or with the aforesaid means for operating); he tempo mechanism; a self-locking switch device controlled by a music-si cot perforation following the tcmgo per-fora ions and which diverts said tracker ducts from the tempo mntrollimr means to the automatic player actions; and means for unlocking and restoring); said switching device after the n'msic-sheet has been played to reconnect said tracker ducts with the tempo controlling means. if

4. In combination with an automatic musical instrument, a music-roll having temposettingr perforations ahead of the not sounding perforations of its music-sheet; tempo n1 ":hanism for adjusting: the speed of travel of said sheet; self-locking" means controllez by said. tempo perforations to set said tempo mechanism in accordance therewith; a tracker bar and automatic player actions opcrativei y connected with the ducts of said tracker ha r the several, tracker di s corresponding to the tempo-sctting perforations being divertible so as to connect either with their automatic player actions or with the afores .id means for operating the tempo mechanism; a self locking switching device controlled by a. music sheet perforation following the tempo perforations and which diverts said tracker ducts from the music-roil having tempo- 3113130 controlling; means to Ill? the automatic player actions; and means arranged to unlock and restore the aforesaid self-locking means and the aforesaid selflocking switching device after the musicsheet has been played.

5. In combination with an automatic musical instrument, a music-roll having temposetting perforations ahead of the notesounding perforations of its music-sheet; tempo mechanism for adjusting the speed of travel of said sheet; means controlled by said tempo perforations to operate said tempo mechanism in accordance therewith, said tempo mechanism being biased so as normally to make the musicsheet travel at at least a slow rate of speed when not controlled bysaid tempo perforations. 7

6. In combination with an automatic musical instrument, a music-roll having temposetting perforations ahead of the note-sounding perforations of its music-sheet; tempo mechanism for adjusting the speed of travel of said sheet; a plural chambered accordion bellows operatively connected with said tempo mechanism; self-locking pneumatic valves arranged to be controlled by said tempo-setting perforations, said valves being operatively connected to the respective chambers of the accordion bellows; and means to release said valves, accordion hellows and tempo mechanism after the musicr-oll has been played.

7. In combination with an automatic musical instrument, a music-roll having temposetting perforations ahead of the note-sounding perforations of its music-sheet; tempo mechanism for adjusting the speed of travel of said sheet; means'controlled by said tempo perforations to set said tempo mechanism in accordance therewith; a tracker-bar and automatic player actions operatively connected connect either with their automatic player actions or with the aforesaid means for operating the tempo mechanism; and a switching-device automatically controlled, by the music-sheet to divert as required said tracker ducts from the tempo controlling means to the automatic player actions and back again.

9. In combination with an automatic musical instrument, a music roll having temposetting perforations in line longitudinally with its note-sounding perforations; a tracker bar with its usual ducts; automatic player actions operative from said ducts; automatic tempo-setting means also operative from some of the same tracker ducts herein after called commonducts; and switching means controlled from said music-roll which automatically connects said common ducts 'with the tempo means and disconnects them from the automatic player actions, and vice versa.

Signed at'New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 22d day of ApriLA. D. 1929.

EMILIUS W. SCHERR, JR.

with the ducts of said tracker-bar, the sev-e oral tracker ducts corresponding to the tempo-setting perforations being divertible so as to connect either with their automatic player actions or with the aforesaid means for operating the tempo mechanism, and a switching-device controlled by a music-sheet perforation following the tempo-setting perforations and which diverts said tracker ducts from the tempo-controlling means to the automatic player actions.

8. In combination with an automatic musical instrument, a music-roll having tempo-set ting perforations ahead of the note-sounding perforations of its music-sheet; tempo mechanism for adjusting'the speed of travel of said sheet; means controlled by said tempo perforations to set said tempo mechanism in accordance therewith; a tracker-bar and automatic player actions operatively connected with the ducts of said tracker-bar, the several tracker ducts corresponding to the tempo-set- I ting perforations being divertible so as to 

